Joint Webinar with the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) of Turkey

The joint virtual session between the Iranian Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) and the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) of Turkey about the regional and international issues was held on Wednesday, February 17, 2021.

 The joint virtual session between the Iranian Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS) and the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) of Turkey about the regional and international issues was held on Wednesday, February 17, 2021.

The session was attended by Dr.Mohammad KazemSajjadpour, Deputy Minister of MOFA & President of IPIS; Mr.Majid Ghafelebashi,Research Deputy at the Center; Kambiz Sheikh Hassani, Jalaladdein Namini and Alireza Bigdeli, Senior Experts at IPIS; on one side, and, Burhanettin Duran, Organizing President of IPIS; Ferhat Pirincci, Hakki Uygur, Murat Yesiltas and Murat Aslan, Top Researchsers at SETA, on the other side.

The session was held in the form of two panels, “Iran and Tukey’s Relations and Cooperation in the South Caucasus”, “The JCPOA and the New US Administration”, to answer the following questions, (1) What are the possible scenarios for Iran, Turkey relations after the new developments? What are the main challenges and threats ahead? What are the potential grounds for further economic cooperation? (2) what is the role of the neighboring South Caucasus states (Iran and Turkey) in peace and stability in the region? (3) What are the latest developments in Syria? (4) What are the scenarios and approaches of the new US administration toward the JCPOA and Turkey’s developments?   

Here are the most important issues touched upon at the session:

Iran and Turkey are situated in the same region and any crisis and tension can influence both countries’ communities. This common understanding has led to the two countries’ relations expanding in all political, economic and cultural terms. There are no impediments to the bilateral relations. And   in a way, since 1639, there has been no military confrontation along the shared borders.

At present, given the regional and global developments, there are many challenges and opportunities in the Iran, Tukey bilateral and multilateral relations. This is while the two countries’ cooperation in the regional processes such as the Astana Process or the Karabach Crisis can foster peace and stability and strike new security arrangements in the region.

The interferences by trans-regional powers have resulted in the region faced with challenges. Iran and Turkey’s cooperation can supremely influence and reduce the strategic imbalance in the region.  Also, the collective cooperation by all states can be a further step for expanding interactions in economic, transportation and energy sectors.

The new US administration’s main strategy is centered on reviving the US status in the Middle East and North Africa region. Yet, it has to be noted the main framework of Biden’s administration’s foreign policy will be de-Trumpization of the US’s Middle Eastern policy. Therefore, return to the JCPOA and fulfilling all the commitments under the agreement by the Biden administration can be a positive step toward consolidating peace and stability in the region.